1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a simplified binding device using a spiral coil.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to one of known bookbinding techniques, a plurality of sheets are bound to one book by punching a series of holes in each sheet at certain intervals and inserting a spiral coil through the series of holes, the spiral coil being coiled at the same constant pitch as the series of holes in each sheet. Major advantages of that bookbinding technique are as follows. First, the bound book can be opened at 360 degrees. Secondly, high durability is ensured by using a coil made of a metal or plastic. Another major advantage is that the production cost can be held down relatively low. Because of a unique structure binding a book with a spiral coil, however, such a bookbinding technique has been long far from being popularly utilized by individual persons as means for binding a book. Also, it is generally known that a binding apparatus using a spiral coil, according to the above-mentioned bookbinding technique, has a difficulty to be put into markets as a handy product for personal use, which is inexpensive and practically usable.
One of binding machines is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,822 issued to Leslie J. Morris in 1983. According to this U.S. patent, a plurality of sheets are bound together with a spiral coil as follows. A stack of sheets are placed on a table and made even at edges using a guide projecting above the table from the side opposed to the bound edges. A manually or electrically driven small-sized coil feeder is provided adjacent to the end of a stack of the sheets, and the coil is driven to be inserted through a series of holes in the sheets while it is spirally turned by a driving mechanism. On that occasion, a mandrel is inserted through the spiral coil so that the coil is spirally turned in a proper manner. However, the binding machine disclosed in that U.S. patent is premised on that the spirally turned coil is always smoothly inserted into the series of holes punched in the sheets. From the technical point of view, the U.S. patent and related apparatuses are generally problematic in that the above premise is not always satisfied. Once the spirally turned coil is dislocated from any of the holes punched in the sheets, the entire binding process comes into an unstable state at once. If such an event occurs, a serious problem arises in the spirally binding process. Further, depending on conditions, some coils have a pitch that is not exactly constant. The mandrel used in the U.S. patent has not succeeded in satisfactorily overcoming the above-mentioned problem. For that reason, when binding sheets together based on the spirally binding process, such means as not only making the stack of sheets even at edges using the guide, but also manually pressing the stack of sheets downward from above, are generally employed so that the coil is inserted through the sheet holes as smooth as possible.
As a solution for the above-described technical problem with U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,822, it is proposed to guide the advance of the spiral coil from side substantially over the entire length of the spiral coil instead of inserting the mandrel through an end portion of the spiral coil. One of such proposals is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,479 issued to Thomas Battisti, et al. in 1998. However, the disclosed solution increases size and complexity of the entire machine due to the necessity of employing a coil guide for setting a position, at which the coil is spirally fed, and another driving mechanism. For the purpose of manufacturing a spirally binding machine, which tends to become large and complex, to be adapted for personal use by individual consumers, U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,340 issued to Phillip M. Anthony, et al. in 1999 proposes a personal binding machine having a smaller size. This U.S. patent also intends to automate the binding process using a microprocessor, etc.
Many patents related to the spirally binding technique are issued as mentioned above. Generally speaking, however, a difficulty still remains in providing, to ordinary consumers, a simplified binding device that is able to realize smooth bookbinding using a spiral coil. In particular, the personal binding machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,340 cannot be said as being so economical that individual consumers can perform bookbinding work with ease.
Further, a spiral coil has a unique shape and occupies a relatively large space when it is stored in a certain space-limited place. Regarding that point, it has not yet been known to the public to employ a device allowing general consumers to perform bookbinding work using a spiral coil, which is more convenient to carry and is more densely coiled, in a similar manner as an ordinary spiral coil.
In view of the state of the art set forth above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified binding device, which has a simple structure, is easy to use, and is able to perform bookbinding with a spiral coil including a densely spiraled coil.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a binding device used when stacking a plurality of sheets each having a series of holes punched at certain intervals, and binding the plurality of sheets together by inserting a spiral coil through each of the holes, wherein the binding device has a working surface brought into contact with the spiral coil for turning the spiral coil.
With those features, when binding a plurality of sheets together by inserting a spiral coil, which has the same pitch as that of a series of holes punched in each of the sheets, through the series of holes in the sheets, the bookbinding operation can be performed with smooth spiral feeding of the spiral coil by employing the binding device, which is preferably a coil turning aid, and bringing it into contact with the spiral coil from above toward below to turn the spiral coil in the direction of the spiral feeding.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a binding device comprising a guide for positioning a plurality of stacked sheets, each of which has a series of holes punched at certain intervals, such that the holes in the stacked sheets are aligned with one another, and a plurality of recessed slots formed along a side edge of the binding device at the same interval as that between the holes, the plurality of stacked sheets being bound together by turning a spiral coil to be inserted through each of the holes in a state in which the plurality of stacked sheets are positioned on the binding device such that the holes in the stacked sheets are aligned with the plurality of recessed slots.
With those features, when binding a plurality of sheets together by inserting a spiral coil, which has the same pitch as that of a series of holes punched in each of the sheets, through the series of holes in the sheets, the plurality of sheets can be bound together while preventing the sheets from curling at the lowermost side, by employing the binding device, which is preferably a base. In this case, the bookbinding operation can be more smoothly and quickly performed by combined use with the coil turning aid according to the first aspect of the present invention.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a binding device used when stacking a plurality of sheets each having a series of holes punched at certain intervals, and binding the plurality of sheets together by inserting a spiral coil through each of the holes, wherein the binding device has a spiral shape coiled at the same pitch as an interval between the holes, and has an engaging portion formed in at least one end portion thereof for engagement with an end of a densely spiraled coil.
With those features, when binding a plurality of sheets together, the plurality of sheets can be easily bound by inserting the binding device, which is preferably a coil leading guide, along with a densely spiraled coil through a series of holes punched in each of the sheets such that the coil leading guide leads the densely spiraled coil. Further, since the overall length of the densely spiraled coil is reduced to approximately ⅕ of that of the ordinary spiral coil, the binding device is more convenient to carry. In this case, the bookbinding operation can be more smoothly and quickly performed by combined use with the binding devices according to the first and second aspects of the present invention.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the engaging portion of the binding device having a spiral shape, according to the third aspect of the present invention, differs in shape from the end of the densely spiraled coil, and the end of the densely spiraled coil is engaged with the engaging portion of the binding device having a spiral shape through frictional engagement therebetween by inserting the end of the densely spiraled coil into the engaging portion.
With those features, since the densely spiraled coil and the binding device according to the third aspect of the present invention are formed such that the end of the densely spiraled coil and the engaging portion of the binding device have different shapes from each other, the end of the densely spiraled coil can be engaged with the engaging portion of the binding device through frictional engagement between them.
A simplified binding device using a spiral coil, according to the present invention, is basically constructed as set forth above. Additionally, in the binding device according to the first aspect of the present invention, which is preferably the coil turning aid, the working surface may be provided with a rubber-made mat, and the mat surface may be subjected to surface treatment for more smoothly turning the spiral coil. The surface treatment may be practiced so as to form a shallow groove extending in the direction of spiral feeding of the spiral coil. For example, the binding device is formed in the shape of a tracing spatula.
The binding device according to the second aspect of the present invention, which is preferably the base, may have a foldable structure for improving convenience when it is stored. For example, by forming the base to be twice-folded nearly at the center, the base can be stored with higher convenience. A grip may be provided at a side of the base so that a user can more easily carry the base.
In the binding device according to the third aspect of the present invention, which is preferably the coil leading guide, a projection may be provided in the engaging portion to ensure more reliable engagement between the end of the coil leading guide and the end of the densely spiraled coil. Alternatively, an adhesive member may be provided in the engaging portion. In particular, the engaging portion may be provided at each of the opposite ends of the binding device according to the third aspect so that the binding device can be engaged at either end with the densely spiraled coil.
In the binding device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the binding device and the densely spiraled coil are engaged with each other through frictional engagement by forming their ends to have different shapes. For example, the frictional engagement may be developed by forming the binding device and the densely spiraled coil to have different radii.
Furthermore, since the above-described various forms of binding devices according to the present invention can be employed in combinations, it is also possible to provide a case for storing those binding devices together.